IDM-Africa Fellowship Programme in Infectious Disease Modelling

IDM-Africa is a training hub that builds infectious-disease modelling skills across sub-Saharan Africa. Its one-year fellowship supports early- and mid-career scientists with modelling experience. Applications close on 16 November 2026.

Program Snapshot

• Host Organization: IDM-Africa, coordinated by the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), Makerere University
• Funding: Stipend and costs not published in the call
• Duration: 12 months; one month in person, then 11 months online
• Positions: Three fellows; two at IDI/ACE-Uganda and one at ACE-Mali/USTTB
• Target Group: Early- and mid-career scientists in sub-Saharan Africa
• Deadline: 16 November 2026

Focus Areas

• Infectious-disease modelling
• Outbreaks and antimicrobial resistance
• Policy-relevant public health research
• Reproducible research and scientific writing

About the Fellowship

Sub-Saharan Africa needs more local modellers to produce evidence for public health decisions. IDM-Africa answers that need with workshops and mentored fellowships. Fellows build a modelling project using their own data. Leading modellers, disease experts, and policy specialists mentor them. The in-person month takes place at ACE-Uganda or ACE-Mali.

Fellows then spend 11 months online, with a mentor session every two weeks. They commit full-time for the first month and about four hours daily afterward. Fellows must deliver:

• A validated model with reproducible code
• A final project report
• A lead-author manuscript for an open-access journal
• A lead-author policy brief
• Progress updates and presentations at review meetings and a conference

What Fellows Receive

• Structured mentorship from leading modellers and policy specialists
• One month of in-person project development
• Code and data review support
• Training in scientific writing and policy communication
• A certificate of completion

Who Can Apply

Applicants must meet these requirements:

• Be affiliated with an institution in sub-Saharan Africa within the EDCTP Association
• Live in, or be willing to move to, an eligible country
• Hold a master’s degree in a quantitative or health field, plus short-term modelling training; PhD holders and candidates also qualify
• Have led a substantial part of a modelling project
• Know R, Python, MATLAB, or a similar platform
• Be free for the full placement and online period
• The Uganda positions need fluent English. The Mali position needs fluent French. Staff at IDI/Makerere and ACE-B/USTTB cannot apply.

Required Materials

Applicants submit one PDF containing these items:

• A CV
• Certified certificates and transcripts
• A national ID or passport copy
• Two recommendation letters
• A career statement
• Your preferred host site and reasons
• A project description with the research question, methods, and policy implications
• A description of your data
• A commitment letter from your home institution, with at least 50% protected time

How to Apply

Use the IDI Recruitment Portal. Find the advert titled “IDM-Africa Fellowship Programme in Infectious Disease Modelling”, click Apply, and upload the PDF.

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Conclusion

This fellowship builds African modelling leadership through mentoring and practical projects. Although the 2026 call has closed, interested scientists can prepare now for the next round.

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